Led lighting. Now a must!!

28. mayo 2015

I have written a few articles in the past on led lighting, explaining the benefits of LED lighting and suggesting that we should be changing to this type of
lighting, specially due to the large saving on energy and therefore in the electricity bill.

Since those articles the prices of LED bulbs have been reduced drastically so now there are no excuses not to change over to LED.

On world electricity generation, 19% is intended for lighting, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). For its part, the multinational Philips
ensures that switching to more efficient lighting systems would save Europe the astronomical figure of 4.300.000.000 Euros, equivalent to 50,000,000 barrels of oil per year or one billion trees,
which would avoid 28.000.000 of tons of CO2 emissions.

So by just switching to more efficient lighting systems could prevent 28.000.000 of tons of CO2 emissions in Europe.

For this reason, increasing the efficiency of lighting devices and reducing unnecessary consumption not only would help to reduce the electricity bill, but
also to protect the environment. In this sense, research centres and companies in the sector work in the development of new technologies.

LED lights (Light Emission Diode, or light-emitting diode) are known since the 1960s, and became popular as a bright red and green spots in numerous electronic
devices. Technological advances are expanding the uses of LEDs, and are nowadays used increasingly as lighting in public places, buildings, giant screens advertising, traffic lights or lanterns
for extreme sports. Also, starting from 2008, the EEC regulation allow its use in automobiles as dipped-beam headlamps.

The advantages of these lights are different and much better in comparison with incandescent light bulbs: for a start they occupy less space, are brighter,
they can last up to 50 times longer and consume up to 10 times less, and that is not all, its chip allows varying its intensity and colour of light. In addition, with the development of the
organic LED we could even locate illumination on flexible surfaces, such as textiles and clothing.

However, although the widespread use of LED lights was stopped by its high price a few years back: A lamp of 3W, equivalent to a 40W bulb, used to cost costs
about 65 Euros the prices have plummeted and prices are being lower every three months or so. Now days you can find the prices of LED bulbs could be cheaper than traditional lighting!!

For its part, Silicon could also become the lights of the future material. A Canadian company, Group IV Semiconductor, ensures to have developed a technology
that would make it possible to manufacture from 2014 light bulbs which last for 20 years and consume less of power than the current 90%. The system consists of passing electricity through a
semiconductor of silicon, making almost all of the energy in light.

The use of non-polluting materials is also another of the concerns of the sector, given the toxicity of some light elements. For example, there are an
estimated only in the European Union (EU) 35 million of mercury vapour, highly polluting, lamps installed on streets and highways. Meanwhile, the recycling of these lighting elements in
convenient places such as clean spots is a good way to help preserve the environment.

The light surplus, in addition to energy expenditure, negatively affects many species of insects, large numbers of migratory birds, birds of prey, or bats. An
example to follow in the fight against this problem is the so called project "Ecolight": promoted by the EU and the city of Valencia, its objective is to curb light pollution in the natural park
of the Albufera. To do this, they have installed a model of perimeter lighting, with lower streetlights of a casserole type, which focus on the ground more efficiently.

All in all there are no excuse for not installing LED bulbs as they are manufactured using the typical screw bulb type so you just fit it in without having to
install new electrical circuits or other paraphernalia.

So do your pocket and the environment a favour an install LED lighting whenever you can.